


Floating Lanterns and Frying Pans

by schmulte



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Alex is eugene, Character Death, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Henry is rapunzel, M/M, Slow Burn, but there's a happy ending I promise, firstprince, it's all very cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28183974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schmulte/pseuds/schmulte
Summary: This is the story of how Alex Claremont-Diaz died. Don't worry- it's actually a very fun story, and the truth is, it isn't even his. This is the story of a boy named Henry. And it starts with the sun.The firstprince Tangled au you never knew you needed.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 38
Kudos: 54





	1. Prologue

This is the story of how Alex Claremont-Diaz died. Don't worry- it's actually a very fun story, and the truth is, it isn't even his. This is the story of a boy named Henry. And it starts with the sun.

Now, once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. And from this small drop of sun grew a magic, golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured. Don't worry, we'll get back to it. 

So, centuries passed, and a hop skip and a boat ride away, there grew a kingdom. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved king and queen. And the queen, well. She was about to have a baby- her third child. But she got sick. Really sick. She was running out of time, and that's when people usually start to look for a miracle. Or in this case, a magic golden flower.

I told you we'd get back to it. You see, the flower was often visited by a witch named Mary. And she wasn't too keen on sharing. She had been using the sun's gift to keep herself young and beautiful for hundreds of years- all she had to do was sing a special song.

_Flower gleam and glow_

_let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_bring back what once_

_was mine_

_What once was mine_

You get the gist. She sings to it, she turns young. Creepy, right? Well, one night she got sloppy, and the soldiers found the flower and took it back to the palace. The magic of the golden flower healed the queen. A healthy baby boy, a prince, was born, with beautiful golden hair. I'll give you a hint. That's Henry.

To celebrate his birth, the king and queen launched a flying lantern into the sky. And for that one moment, everything was perfect. And then that moment ended. Mary broke into the castle, stole the child, and just like that: gone. The kingdom searched and searched, but they couldn't find the prince. For deep in the forest, in a hidden tower, Mary raised the child as her grandson. Mary had found her new magic flower- but this time, she was determined to keep it hidden.

But the walls of that tower could not hide everything. Each year on his birthday, the king and queen released thousands of lanterns into the sky. In the hope that one day, their lost prince would return. 


	2. When Will My Life Begin?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry starts his day the same way he has for as long as he can remember. He get up at seven- Gran is already gone, but she's left him breakfast on the table. After he eats, he does his chores: sweeping, polishing, waxing, laundry, mopping, and then sweeping again. It feels like it takes hours, but by the time he's done, only fifteen minutes have passed, and he groans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! The first couple chapters are going to be a little shorter, but once they leave the tower they'll be longer!

Henry starts his day the same way he has for as long as he can remember. He get up at seven- Gran is already gone, but she's left him breakfast on the table. After he eats, he does his chores: sweeping, polishing, waxing, laundry, mopping, and then sweeping again. It feels like it takes hours, but by the time he's done, only fifteen minutes have passed, and he groans.

He reads one book, then two, then three. Then he writes, filling up the pages of his new journal until his hand cramps up. He practices the guitar, takes David for a walk around the tower, and knits. Then it's lunch, and he cooks, giving his leftovers to David. 

Then after lunch, it's puzzles and darts and baking. He makes a horribly atrocious paper mâché dog, then an equally terrible pot on his wheel. He tries to teach David chess, but it's hard to do without opposable thumbs. He stretches, does yoga, and makes a few candles. 

Then, when he runs out of options, he re-reads the books and writes some more. He's sure there's more room somewhere in his stack of journals. He tries sketching the lanterns that shine on his birthday every year. It doesn't quite capture their beauty- Henry figures it's because he's never seen them up close. 

Then he has to brush, and brush, and brush his hair, in the same place he's been his entire life. Then all he can do is lie on the floor with David and sigh the same thing he's been asking himself over and over again.

"When will my life begin?"

He hears the telltale sound of Gran approaching, and scrambles up. He hides the sketch of the lanterns under a loose floorboard, and is at the window right on time.

"Henry!" his grandmother calls, just like she does every day. "Let down your hair!"

Henry hauls his hair down the window and pulls his grandmother up and into the tower. She's pink from the sunlight and the wind has tousled up her hair. Henry is immediately jealous, but he pushes the feeling down. Today is a big day, and he needs to be as pleasant as possible. 

His grandmother sighs, flips her hair, and kisses his forehead, just like every day. And like every day, she sits down, exhausted, and speaks to Henry.

"Oh, Henry. How you manage to do that every single day without fail, it looks exhausting, darling."

"Oh," Henry rubs the back of his neck, like he always does when he's nervous or embarrassed. "It's nothing, really."

His grandmother tuts. "Then I don't know why it takes so long."

"Oh, okay...um. Anyway, gran. Tomorrow is a big day, and--"

"Henry, look in the mirror with me." It's not a request- she gets up and pulls Henry to the large full-length mirror- he's written poetry all over the frame in bright yellow ink. He wonders how much space is left. "Do you know what I see? I see a strong, confident, beautiful young person. Oh look, you're here too."

Henry takes her comment in stride and chokes out his best fake laugh. He needs to stay focused on the task at hand, and it seems his grandmother is determined to mess up his plans. 

"Anyway, gran--"

"Flower, gran is feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me, dear?"

"Of course!" Henry practically runs around the tower getting everything ready, pushes his grandmother down into her chair maybe a little too eagerly, and sings the fastest he ever has. His grandmother puts her hands on her hips after and frowns. 

"Henry, what on Earth is wrong with you today?"

"Gran," Henry says, completely ignoring her question. He's way too nervous, and the words just burst out of him without even thinking. "earlier I mentioned tomorrow's kind of a big day and you didn't really respond, so I'll just tell you. It's my birthday!"

His grandmother's eyes are blank, and she blinks for a moment. Then, she smiles. 

"Oh, no dear. I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year."

"That's the funny thing about birthdays, they're kind of an annual thing." He sighs and takes a deep breath, steeling himself. "Gran, I'm turning 21. And I wanted to ask...what I really want for my birthday...what I've wanted for every birthday, actually--"

"Henry, stop mumbling, you know I hate the mumbling."

"I want to see the floating lights!"

The words come out before he can even register them, and he claps his hands over his mouth, eyes wide and focused on his grandmother's reaction. Her expression is completely unreadable. 

"What?" Is all she asks. Henry wrings his hands nervously. 

"Well, I was hoping _you_ would take me to see the floating lights."

Henry's grandmother gives him an amused look and pats the top of his head.

"Oh, silly boy, you mean the stars."

Henry shakes his head. "They're not! I've charted stars, and they're always constant, but these appear every year on my birthday, gran. Only on my birthday. And I can't help but feel that they're- they're meant for me. I need to see them, gran. And not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are."

Henry thinks that's the most he's ever spoken to his grandmother without being interrupted. At first, it makes him feel hopeful. He's giving her his best puppy dog eyes, how could she say no?

Then, her face changes. Her eyes narrow and her mouth curls into a cruel, familiar smile. Henry swallows. 

"You want to go outside?" she asks sweetly. "why, Henry, look at you. You're still a simple little sapling. You know why we stay up in this tower."

"I know, but--"

"To keep you safe, dear. Trust me, Henry, I know best. The outside world is scary- there are ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, snakes, the plague. Large bugs, men with pointy teeth. Do you think you'd actually survive out there? Please. You're gullible, naive. They'll eat. You. Alive."

Henry's learned that the best thing right now is to stay silent. His grandmother is scary when she's like this. It's easier to just comply. He bows his head, like he's learned, in submission, and he feels her hands on his cheeks. 

"Henry."

"Yes, grandmother?"

She lifts his head up and looks him straight in the eyes. Her gaze is deadly. 

"Don't ever ask to leave this tower again."


	3. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex is having the time of his life. Really, he doesn't think he's ever had this much fun on a job before. He thinks the annoyed look on Zarha's face. Pissing her off is his second favorite pastime. Nora's there too, and she's always fun to have on the job. She's funny, cool under pressure, and a wizard with logic. Alex swears she must have some magical blood in her. 

Alex is having the time of his life. Really, he doesn't think he's ever had this much fun on a job before. He thinks the annoyed look on Zarha's face. Pissing her off is his second favorite pastime. Nora's there too, and she's always fun to have on the job. She's funny, cool under pressure, and a wizard with logic. Alex swears she must have some magical blood in her. 

He skids to a halt in front of a tree in the forest, and the two women turn around to look at him. Alex can't contain his horror- he gasps and sputters as he looks at the wanted poster on the tree. 

"Oh no no, this is bad, this is very, very bad."

"What?" Zarha asks him, sounding like she actually doesn't care what the answer is. Alex points to the wanted poster, displaying his face and 'Wanted Thief: Diaz. $10,000'

"They just can't get my nose right!" Nora laughs, but Zarha is not amused. 

"Who cares? It's a wanted poster." 

Alex puts his hands on his hips. "Well that's easy for you to say, Zarha, _your_ poster looks amazing."

He hears the sound of horses approaching, and suddenly remembers why he was running in the first place. 

It was a simple enough plan- get past the guards, get on top of the castle roof, steal the crown. Of course, plans could never be that simple with Alex. He's an artist who takes pride in his work, after all. So, when he was lowered down into the room where they kept the crown, and the guard sneezed, he did the polite thing and told him 'bless you.' And that's he was running. 

Zarha pushes him forward and they start running again. Alex is faster than her and Nora, so he isn't surprised when Zarha tosses him the satchel with the crown in it. The palace guards are gaining on them, fast. And they have the advantage of horses. 

"Nora?" he yells over his shoulder. "what are our odds here?"

"95% chance of capture, 75% chance of keeping the crown if we split up!"

Alex frowns. "What? No! I'm not letting you two take the fall for this!"

"Now's not the time to get sentimental, Diaz!" Zarha says. She somehow manages to throw a guard off his horse, and before he knows it, she's pushing Alex onto the saddle and slapping the horse's behind. "Go!"

Alex is helpless on the horse, holding the reigns for dear life and yelling "shit shit shit" to himself as he loses control. He gets out of the sight of the guards, at least, as the horse takes him into a clearing he's never seen before and promptly throws him off its back. 

Alex lands in a heap on the grass, and rubs his head as he looks up. He has no idea where he is- and now Zarha and Nora are gone, and if word gets out that he has the crown, people are going to be after him. Bad people. Jeffrey Richards type bad people. Alex shudders at the thought. 

In front of him is a ridiculously tall tower, with one single window and no door. Alex doesn't know how a person could possibly live here. It's safe to assume it's abandoned, right? Even if it's not, he's desperate right now. The horse snorts at him angrily and nudges him with its snout. Alex rolls his eyes and starts climbing. Dumb horse. 

It takes an embarrassing amount of time to climb all the way up- man, Alex is out of shape- but he does it. He has just enough time to take a breather, wipes the sweat off his brow. He makes contact with the most beautiful blue eyes he's ever seen, and then he's hit in the head with a frying pan.


	4. Fate, Destiny, a Horse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been approximately six minutes since Henry hit the intruder with his frying pan, and he's still freaking out. David is going crazy, too, barking and growling and prodding at the man. He doesn't have pointy teeth, like Gran says, so he supposes that's good. But how on earth did he find him here? The whole point of the tower is to be unreachable. He's the first person Henry's ever seen besides gran, and- oh god, this is the first person Henry's ever seen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for emotional abuse in this chapter. Starts at paragraph 11 and ends at paragraph 31

It has been approximately six minutes since Henry hit the intruder with his frying pan, and he's still freaking out. David is going crazy, too, barking and growling and prodding at the man. He doesn't have pointy teeth, like Gran says, so he supposes that's good. But how on earth did he find him here? The whole point of the tower is to be unreachable. He's the first person Henry's ever seen besides gran, and- oh god, this is the first person Henry's ever seen. 

He's beautiful, he has to admit. He looks Henry's age, but his skin is darker, the color of the wood dresser in his room. Henry didn't know people could have different colors of skin. It's warm and freckled, and Henry wants to know how it would feel under his hands. He has a mop of dark curls that look soft to the touch, and his mouth is turned up in a mischievous smile, even in sleep. Henry wants to sketch him. 

But he can't. Because this man is an intruder, probably here to steal him and use his hair, just like gran said. Speaking of gran...this might be his best chance to show her that he _can_ take care of himself. She can't possibly see that he captured a full grown man and still not let him outside. Right? 

The man has a satchel at his side, and Henry carefully removes it. Inside, there's an odd, circular thing, with gemstones on the top. He holds it up to David, but he barks and shakes his head. He stands in front of the mirror- tries putting in on his wrist, on his ankle, but it doesn't look right. But when he puts it on his head, something clicks. Henry doesn't know exactly what, but it makes him want to keep it. He puts the thing back in the satchel and into a pot, just in case. Then, with a lot of effort- Henry thanks his muscular frame -he manages to shove the man in his wardrobe. And now all he has to do is wait. 

It's driving him insane, so he paces and talks to David, like any sane person would do. 

"I have a person in my closet. I have a person in my closet! Too weak to handle myself out there, huh gran? Well, tell that to my pan here--"

"Henry! Let down your hair!"

"Shit," he drops the pan, rearranges the room quickly, and throws down his hair. He pulls his grandmother up.

"I have a big surprise!" she says. Henry gives her a nervous smile.

"I do too."

"My surprise is bigger."

"Oh, I don't think so," he mumbles under his breath. 

His grandmother kisses his hair, as custom, and sets down a basket with a flourish. "I have parsnips, I'm making hazelnut soup! Your favorite. Surprise!"

Henry's too fidgety, too squirmy. He needs to relax. Relax, relax, relax. Deep breath. 

"Gran, there's something I want to tell you--"

"Oh, Henry, you know I hate leaving you after a fight, especially when I've done absolutely nothing wrong."

Henry brushes it off and moves backwards towards the wardrobe. He's practically buzzing with excitement. 

"Okay, I've been thinking a lot about what you said earlier."

"I hope you're still not talking about the stars."

Henry winces. He knows, he _knows_ it's not a good idea to push this right now, but if she could just see what he's done then maybe she'll change her mind. He really hopes she'll change her mind. 

"I'm leading up to that--"

"Because I really thought we dropped the issue."

His fingertips are almost touching the handle now. "No, gran, I'm just saying, you think I'm not strong enough to handle myself out there."

"Oh, darling, I know you're not strong enough to handle yourself out there."

He can feel the energy building in my room, knows it's only a matter of time before lightning strikes, but if he can just get this door open first...

"But if you just--"

"Henry, we're done talking about this."

"But-"

The tension breaks. Lightning strikes. Henry is burning, _burning_ and he knows the argument is lost as soon as his grandmother opens her mouth.

"Enough, Henry! You are not leaving this tower, ever!"

Henry lets the dust settle. He hangs his head and counts without making any noise. He knows she needs at least thirty seconds before he can speak again. He takes another deep breath, counts to ten in his head. He makes a decision. It's a horrible, devious decision, but Henry makes it. 

"All I was gonna say, gran, is that...I know what I want for my birthday, now. A new journal? The kind with the gold dusting on the spine you once brought me?"

His grandmother sighs. At least she doesn't sound angry now.

"Well, that is a very long trip, Henry. Almost three days time."

Henry plays the only hand he has. "I just thought it was a better idea than the lights."

That seems to do the trick. His grandmother leaves in the morning, promising to be back in three days. As soon as she's out of sight, Henry is taking the man from the closet and tying him up in a chair with his hair. He slinks back into the corner, where the shadows hit, so he can make an intimidating entrance. David jumps up and licks the man's cheek to wake him up. 

"What the..." he hears the man say. His voice is smooth and sweet like honey. Henry's knees almost buckle, but he needs to stay focused. He watches the man look around, squirming. "Is this...is this hair?"

Henry counts to ten again and walks slowly out from the shadows. His voice is shaking, but he tries to make it deep and intimidating anyway.

"Struggling...struggling is pointless," he steps into the sunlight, and feels a warm bubble of satisfaction when the man's beautiful brown eyes widen and his pretty lips part. "I know why you're here. And I'm not afraid of you." The man looks more...confused than intimidated. It's odd, but Henry tries not to let it get to him. He puts on his best scowl and straightens up. "Who are you, and how did you find me?"

The man clears his throat, and Henry thinks he's gotten to him, until he opens his beautiful mouth and says "beautiful," and Henry's legs turn to jelly and his cheeks burn red hot. 

"Wh-what?"

The man has the advantage, now that Henry's flustered, and he flashes the most gorgeous, charming grin Henry has ever seen. 

" Name's Diaz. How's it going?"

Henry blinks, refocuses. "Who else knows my location, _Diaz_?"

The man rolls his dizzyingly attractive shoulders and cracks his neck. 

"Listen, blondie--"

"Henry."

"Gesundheit. Here's the thing. I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest, as one does, minding my own business. I came across your tower here and..." he looks around wildly, and Henry smirks. "Woah, woah, wait, where's my satchel?"

Henry folds his arms over his chest. "I've hidden it. Somewhere you'll never find it."

Diaz looks around again, and his eyes land on the pot where Henry hid the satchel. Shit. 

"It's in that pot, isn't it?"

Henry hits him in the face with the frying pan. 

By the time he wakes up again, Henry has hidden the satchel underneath the stairs. David licks his face again, and Diaz sputters and pulls a face. 

"Would you stop doing that?"

"Now it's hidden where you'll never find it. So," he puts his hands on his hips, hoping he looks intimidating. He's taller than Diaz, so that's something. "what do you want with my hair? To cut it?"

"What?"

"Sell it?"

"No!" Diaz rolls his eyes. "Listen, the only thing I want with your hair, is to get out of it. Literally."

Henry backs up a little. Didn't gran say this is exactly what people want? Why Henry can't leave the tower? It doesn't make any sense at all. Nothing in Henry's life makes sense anymore. 

"You don't...want my hair?"

"Why the fuck would I want your hair?" Henry stares at him wide-eyed at the new word. He's heard gran use it a couple times, but he didn't think other people did. Henry had certainly never said it. "Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, I climbed it."

Henry frowns. "You're telling the truth?"

"Yes!"

Henry steps away a moment to consult with David. They whisper- or, Henry whispers and David sniffs his hair. He doesn't really have a choice, does he? It's not as if he'd even know how to get to the lights on his own. And Diaz seems...at least somewhat reliable. And cute. Not that that's important. 

"Okay, Diaz," he says, standing up and going back over to the chair. "I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

Diaz raises an eyebrow. "A deal?"

He fumbles around for his notebook and shows Diaz the sketch of the lights. "Do you know what these are?"

Diaz looks completely unimpressed. 

"You mean the floating lantern things they do for the prince?"

"Lanterns..." Henry whispers to himself. "Well, tomorrow night they will light up the night sky, with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you."

He's feeling pretty confident, but Diaz seems determined to pop his bubble. 

"Yeah, no can do. Unfortunately, the kingdom and I aren't exactly amistoso at the moment. So I won't be taking you anywhere."

Henry slowly pulls Diaz's chair forward with his hair. 

"Something brought you here, Diaz. Call it fate, destiny--"

"A horse."

"So I have made the decision to trust you."

"A horrible decision, really."

"But trust me when I tell you this." He brings the chair forward, leans in so their noses are almost touching. He tries to ignore Diaz glancing down at his lips. "You can tear this tower apart brick by brick. But without my help, you will never find your precious satchel."

Diaz notably licks his lips, and a shiver runs down Henry's spine. Damn hormones. 

"Let me get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you back home, and you'll give me back my satchel?"

"I promise."

"Okay, you give me no choice...here comes the smolder." Diaz gives Henry an odd look, and Henry laughs. Diaz goes back to frowning. "This is kind of an off day for me, this doesn't normally happen...fine! I'll take you to see the stupid lanterns."

Henry is so excited he lets go, and Diaz falls flat on his face. Oops. He'll take care of that later. 


	5. Henry's Life Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When it's time to go, Diaz exits first and climbs down with ease. And as Henry looks out the window, at his guide's feet hitting the ground, for the first time today, he falters. His heart is beating so fast he thinks it's going to burst out of his chest and his mouth has gone suddenly dry. Everything he ever wanted is mere feet below him, and he cannot move. Diaz frowns up at him, squinting in the sun, and Henry thinks he looks just as beautiful as the forest surrounding him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your comments and kudos, I really really appreciate it!

Henry spends the next hour buzzing around the tower, making sure everything is perfectly in place. If everything goes according to plan, he'll be home before his grandmother, but he puts some pillows under his duvet just in case. He makes sure David has enough food and water while he's gone. His heart aches for his dog, his best friend- but if something goes wrong, he needs to know that David is safe. He takes his time saying goodbye, making sure his dog receives extra belly rubs and kisses. He pretends not to see Diaz rolling his eyes.

When it's time to go, Diaz exits first and climbs down with ease. And as Henry looks out the window, at his guide's feet hitting the ground, for the first time today, he falters. His heart is beating so fast he thinks it's going to burst out of his chest and his mouth has gone suddenly dry. Everything he ever wanted is mere feet below him, and he cannot move. Diaz frowns up at him, squinting in the sun, and Henry thinks he looks just as beautiful as the forest surrounding him. 

"You coming, blondie?" he shouts up at him. Henry takes a deep breath and counts to ten, like gran taught him. Without giving it another thought, he loops his hair around the hook by the window and lets himself down. 

The first thing he feels is the grass tickling his bare feet. It's still damp from the morning dew, and it smells sweet. A cool summer breeze ripples through his clothes and blows his hair around. The forest expands miles and miles around him, and the sky above him is so big and blue and _endless_. Everything- the grass, the dirt -is just like he dreamed it would be. The sound of crickets chirping and the breeze rustling the trees seems to be calling to him. And Henry realizes, that for the first time ever, he's completely and utterly free. He could do anything he wants- he could run as far as his legs will take him. He could go to the forest and race against the stream, splash in puddles, roll in the dirt if he wanted to. 

"This is when my life begins," he whispers to himself. 

The high doesn't last very long- as soon as he comes down and realizes what he's done, Henry goes into full-blown panic mode. His mood flies back and forth faster than a lightning bug. One minute, he's rolling in a field of flowers, laughing and screaming. The next, he's considering giving up and going back to the tower. He talks to himself in a crazed frenzy, switching to and fro for several minutes of quiet insanity. 

"I can't believe I did this!" He'll yell. Then, realizing what he's done, he'll mumble. "I can't believe I did this."

"Grandmother would be so furious. That's okay, though, what she doesn't know won't kill her, right? Oh my gosh, this will kill her."

"I'm a horrible grandson, I'm going back."

"I'm never going back!"

"I'm a despicable human being."

"This is the best day ever!"

Eventually, Henry finds himself sitting against a warm rock, knees against his chest, quietly sniffling. He doesn't think he's ever felt so scared in his life. Running off with a stranger...what was he thinking? Gran was right, Henry is vulnerable. Just because he's handsome and charming doesn't mean he's trustworthy. He's a thief for heaven's sake! 

"You know," Diaz's voice comes from over his shoulder, and he tries not to jump before wiping his eyes aggressively. "I can't help but notice, you seem a little at war without yourself."

Henry scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Really? How ever did you figure that out?"

Diaz shrugs, unfazed, and sits down cross-legged in front of Henry. He picks a daisy and twists it idly between his long, calloused fingers. Henry tries not to stare.

"Now, I'm only picking up bits and pieces. Overbearing grandma, forbidden road trip...this is serious stuff. But let me ease your conscience. How old are you turning?"

"Twenty-one."

"Great age! Perfectly natural to rebel a little. Let me guess, you overthink a lot, don't you." Henry frowns. How is it so easy for this man to guess every little thing about Henry? He must be some kind of magician. Diaz just laughs, a tinkling little sound, like wind chimes. "I do the same thing. But you're fine, trust me. Does your grandmother deserve it? No. Will this break her heart and crush her soul? Of course. But you've just got to do it."

Henry gulps. "Break her heart?"

"In half."

"Crush her soul?"

Alex crushes the flower in his hands. 

"Like a grape." Alex must notice the horrified look on Henry's face, because he sighs dramatically and wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Tell you what. I'm letting you out of the deal."

Henry's heart sinks. 'What?"

"That's right. But no need to thank me. let's just turn around, get you home, I get my satchel, you get a loving grandmother-grandson relationship built on mutual trust and ahi tienes! We part ways as unlikely friends." 

Henry's scowl deepens and he shoves Diaz's arm off of him, forcing him to land on his face on the grass. 

"No! I'm seeing those lanterns."

Diaz comes back up angrily and stands, picking grass out of his hair. 

"Oh, come on! Give me a break, here--"

A rustling sound comes from the forest, and Henry jumps up and hides behind Diaz, grip tight on his forearm. It's a little comical, really, considering Henry is at least three inches taller and has to crouch down to hide. He grips his frying pan and points it out over Diaz's shoulder. 

"Is it ruffians?" he whispers. "Thugs? Have they come for me?"

A bunny hops out from the underbrush. Diaz speaks over his shoulder with the most shit-eating grin. 

"Stay calm. It can probably smell fear."

Henry gives himself a moment to calm down before he detaches himself from Diaz and promptly smacks the back of his head. 

"Ow!" Diaz runs a hand through his thick curls. "What the fuck?"

"Don't be a jerk. I'm just a little jumpy, okay? This is the first time I've been outside. Ever."

Diaz considers him a moment, and Henry makes a point not to squirm under his gaze. To him, it appears to work, because Diaz cracks a smile and his shoulders relax. 

"Probably best if we avoid ruffians and thugs then, huh?"

"That would be ideal," Henry deadpans. Diaz's grin widens, and he doesn't seem affected by the odd look Henry is giving him. 

"Are you hungry? Let's get some lunch."

Henry raises an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Oh, don't worry. You'll know it when you smell it."

**

Meanwhile, in the forest, Mary comes upon the palace horse that brought Diaz to his fate. She searches the tower far and wide for Henry, but he is gone. She does, however, find a brown satchel hidden beneath the stairs, containing the crown of the lost prince. Satchel in tow, Mary arms herself with a silver dagger, and vanishes. 


	6. I Have a Dream/The Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey out of the forest is dark and treacherous, the roughest path Alex could find. He has no idea how Henry has walked this far without shoes on, and decides not to underestimate him. Henry is stubborn, hotheaded. Normally, Alex would like that, but he's being kind of a pain in the ass right now. Still, his naivety is cute, and it's a nice change from the personalities Alex is used to. Not that he can dwell on that- he has a mission. Scare the kid, get the satchel, make millions. And he's not going to screw it up. Alex guides Henry from behind, hands on his shoulders, and pretends to look around with squinted eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty difficult to translate from the movie into writing so I'm sorry if anything doesn't make sense!

The journey out of the forest is dark and treacherous, the roughest path Alex could find. He has no idea how Henry has walked this far without shoes on, and decides not to underestimate him. Henry is stubborn, hotheaded. Normally, Alex would like that, but he's being kind of a pain in the ass right now. Still, his naivety is cute, and it's a nice change from the personalities Alex is used to. Not that he can dwell on that- he has a mission. Scare the kid, get the satchel, make millions. And he's not going to screw it up. Alex guides Henry from behind, hands on his shoulders, and pretends to look around with squinted eyes.

"Let's see...I know it's around here somewhere...ah, ahí está! The Oval Office. Don't worry, very quaint place, perfect for you. Don't want you scaring and giving up on this endeavor, do we?" That's exactly what Alex wants, but Henry doesn't need to know that. They're not even at the door and Henry is already pale and clammy. This is going to be perfect, if he doesn't get himself killed first. He opens the door with a flourish, and the intended effect goes off without a hitch. 

"Camarero! Your finest table, por favor!"

That seems to do the trick. Everyone in the tavern turns stills, heads turning towards Henry and Alex. Their eyes are murderous, and Alex recognizes a few not-so-friendly faces. Alex doesn't have many _enemies_ exactly, but there are plenty of people who he could definitely aggravate to throw a punch or two, if necessary. Henry's skin has gone clammy against his hands, and he pushes him forward. Beady eyes follow them through the tavern, burning holes in Alex's skin.

"You smell that, Henry? Take in a deep breath through the nose, really let it seep in. What are you getting? Because to me, it's part man smell, and the other part is _really_ bad man smell. I don't know why, but overall, it smells like the color brown. Thoughts?" Henry doesn't say anything, and Alex's smirk grows. "You know, blondie, we should just call it a day. If you can't handle this place, well, maybe you should go back to your tower." He sees a familiar face and waves. "Raf! How the hell are you?"

Rafael Luna does not look pleased to see Alex. He doesn't blame him- Alex has always been a sort of thorn in his side. They have a strange dynamic, the two of them, and depending on Raf's mood, this will either go really well for him, or very very badly. It looks like today is going to go bad. 

Luna holds up a wanted poster of Alex. It's the same one from before: Diaz, Wanted Thief, a $10,000 reward offer. His nose still looks completely ridiculous. Shit. 

"You got yourself into some deep shit, Diaz." Raf says. Alex instinctively grabs Henry's hand and steps in front of him. He can't even get satisfaction from the blush that creeps up Henry's cheeks right now. 

"You've got a couple rewards out on your head," Cash says from the corner. "So we'll give you a choice. The kingdom, or Richards."

Alex stills. It feels like a brick is in his stomach. He squeezes Henry's hand and tries to keep his composure, swallows hard before speaking. 

"Ah, come on, Cash, don't be like that."

"Tell you what," someone else says. It's Amy speaking now, polishing her axe at a table. "we'll choose for you. Nora, get the guards."

So Nora and Zarha escaped arrest- at least that's a relief. Nora looks sorry before she leaves, but Alex gives her an understanding nod. She'd be outnumbered if she spoke up for Alex, and they'd probably turn her in too. Alex gets it. No matter how much they like working together, no matter how friendly, self-preservation comes first. There's no honor amongst thieves. 

The patrons of the tavern start to close in, all cruel smiles and sharp blades. Alex gives Henry an apologetic look and lets go of his hand. 

"Get out of here," he urges in a whisper. "now."

Henry's beautiful blue eyes widen in fear, and Alex feels it in his heart. It's odd, really- just minutes ago he was trying to get this kid out of his hair. But he never meant to put him in danger. Alex doesn't really have to time to hash out his new, conflicted feelings, because now people are grabbing him, pulling him away, tearing at his clothes, grabbing at his hair. He squeezes his eyes shut, braces for the worst, until. 

"Hey!"

The grabbing and pulling stops, and the tavern goes still once more. Alex dares to open one eye, and sees Henry, with a fierce, stubborn look on his face, standing on the bar, hands on his hips. It's kind of cute, how he's trying to look intimidating, all bare feet and long hair. Something in his eyes though, that scares Alex a little. 

"Put him down!" Henry demands. 

Slowly, the patrons let him down, setting him gently back on his feet. Luna keeps a hand fisted in the back of his shirt, just in case, but everyone's looking at Henry now. Alex has got to learn how he does that. 

"Look," Henry sighs. "I don't know where I am, and I need him to take me to see the floating lanterns, because I've been dreaming about them my entire life. Find your humanity! Haven't any of you ever had a dream?"

The air in the tavern changes. Hardened criminals shift from foot to first nervously. Luna straightens up behind him, but his grip doesn't loosen. Alex is very, very confused right now. 

"I had a dream once," Luna says. "I was going to be a concert pianist. I'd be on the stage performing Mozart, tickling the ivories until they gleamed. I'd rather be called deadly for my killer playing, to be honest."

Alex can't help but gape. This is Rafael Luna. Master thief, has killed three people. And he's opening up about his dreams...just because Henry asked him to? What the fuck is happening right now? 

"Who else?" Henry asks from atop the bar. He's smiling, and his face is glowing. Alex's stomach flips a little. 

"I want to find love," Shaan says with his hand raised. 

"I want to be a florist," Amy admits. 

The confessions come in waves, completely tearing Alex's world apart. Zarha collects ceramic unicorns. Cash bakes cupcakes. It's the strangest mass confession Alex has ever seen, but they're not beating him up, and Henry is beaming, so he guesses it's okay, if not extremely confusing. Then, they're rounding on Alex, and Luna is lifting him up by the back of his shirt. This is the most humiliated Alex has ever felt. 

"What's your dream?" Zarha asks him. 

Alex laughs. "Oh, no, I don't think--" Luna hoists him up a little higher, and he gulps. "Okay, okay, fine. Just put me down, would you?" 

Luna rolls his eyes, but he lowers him back to the floor. Everyone's eyes are on Alex now. He can feel some perspiration forming on his brow. Shit, shit, shit, what's his dream.

"I, um," he clears his throat. "I just want to make a lot of money and retire to a nice sunny place somewhere."

Cash raises his eyebrow. "That dream stinks."

"I want to see the floating lanterns!" Henry interrupts, saving Alex yet again. "I-I took a risk, I left my tower, but I'm really glad I did it, because. I'm finally going to get my dream."

A chorus of "awww" rings through the tavern, and Alex accepts that this is the most insane thing he's ever experienced. There's a nice, calm bubble around that isn't common in places like this, but he doesn't hate it. It's weird, but Henry has somehow gotten these people, these criminals, to admit their greatest dreams. Some of them are even...smiling. Alex doesn't think he's ever seen anything like it.

Of course, the bubble can't laugh. Nora comes back and announces she has the guards with her, and the calm energy bursts. The next thing he knows, Alex is being shoved behind the bar, and Henry is pressed up against his side, wide-eyed and afraid. Alex tries to put on a brave face, but he hears the horses sniffing for him, the metal of the guard's armor, and he swears under his breath. 

A low, mechanic sound whirs beneath him, and the floor in front of them opens up, revealing a secret passageway. He grabs Henry's hand tight again. It feels nice in his hand- smooth, soft skin against his rough calloused palms. Luna sneaks over and sets a hand on Alex's shoulder. 

"Go," he whispers. "Live your dream."

"I will," Alex breathes. Luna smacks him upside the head.

"Not you. I was talking to him." He nods his head towards Henry. Henry flashes a bright smile, and Alex tugs him down the passageway, dropping his hand as soon as they're back on their feat. It leads to a tunnel beneath the tavern- cold and dark, lit by torches along the walls. Bones litter the ground- he tells Henry not to look. 

"I've got to say," he says after a while. "that was...I've never seen anything like that."

He swears he can see Henry blush in the torchlight, a pretty pink shade creeping up his cheeks. 

"Oh-thank you," he pauses. Alex notices Henry does that a lot, taking deep breaths often. "So...Diaz. Where are you from?"

Alex snorts. "Sorry, blondie. I don't do backstory. But, I'm very interested in yours. Now, I know I'm not supposed to mention the hair."

"Nope."

"Or the grandmother."

"Uh huh."

"And I'm not even gonna touch the frying pan thing. But...if you want to see the lanterns so badly, why haven't you gone before?"

"Well--"

A rumbling shakes the bones on the ground beneath them. Alex puts his arm out across Henry and a finger to his lips, waiting. The sound of armor bouncing is back, and the ground is shaking harder. He pushes Henry forward and runs. 

"Go, go, go!"

"What--"

"Don't look behind you, just run!"

At least twenty palace guards are gaining on them through the tunnel, lead by the horse Alex rode into the forest that fateful day. He keeps pushing Henry ahead, gathers up his hair in his arms as best he can as he runs. They make it out to a clearing, and Alex has to grab Henry by the arm before he tumbles off the platform. They're in a quarry, up on rickety boards, surrounded by nothing but stone and wood pipes carrying gallons and gallons of water. The guards are upon them fast, spreading out along the entrance to the tunnel, swords drawn. He pushes Henry gently. 

"Get out of here, Henry, go." 

"I'm not leaving you." 

"I'll be right behind you--" he takes the frying pan from Henry and throws his hair over one of the pipes, and pushes him off. He watches him land safely on another platform and sighs, then turns back to the soldiers. 

The captain of the guard, a man Alex is unfortunately all too familiar with, faces him, sword out. They have the strangest fight of Alex's life- he supposes that's the theme for today -sword against frying pan. He thinks he's doing pretty well, actually. Even having a bit of fun. 

Until the frying pan gets knocked out of his hand. 

He's barely able to register the sword at his throat when he feels hair wrap around his hand and drag him down. He screams, wind rushing through his hair, as he flies down the gorge, bringing down some of the wood pipes with him. He lands on his feet and grabs Henry around the waist, almost carries him towards a cave as water rushes towards him. 

"Where are we going?" Henry yells. Alex just keeps pushing him forward, shoves him into the cave right before the water comes rushing in. 

"Shit," Alex whispers to himself. The water is rising fast, already around his ankles. "Shit, shit, shit." 

"Diaz, what are we going to do?"

Henry's eyes are wide with fear, and it's not satisfying this time, it's fucking terrifying. The water is reaching Alex's knees, and all he can do right now is squeeze Henry's hand and tear at the rocks around them. The water is at his hips when he cuts his hand on the rocks. It tears a large gash in his palm, red blood mixing with the water. He tries diving, looking for an exit, but it's too dark. 

"It's no use," Alex pants. "it's too dark, I can't see a thing." He sees Henry take a deep breath and try to dive down, but Alex wraps his arms around his waist and hauls him up. "Hey, there's no point. It's too dark down there."

He takes his arms from Henry's waist and moves them to cup his cheeks, wiping away fat tears with the pads of his thumbs. It's morose to think, Alex knows, but Henry looks beautiful right now. His eyes are shining blue even in the darkness. 

"This is all my fault," Henry cries. "She was right, I never should have done this. I'm so sorry, Diaz."

Alex shakes his head and kisses Henry's forehead. He can't even be happy to see that familiar blush right now, because they're going to die. They're going to drown in this cave and Richards is going to kill Alex's whole family, and there's nothing he can do, and now he's dragging Henry down with him too. He swallows and looks at Henry.

"Alex," he says. Henry tilts his head, and Alex sighs. "My real name is Alex Claremont-Diaz. Someone might as well know before I die."

"I have magic hair that glows when I sing."

Alex pulls back to stare at him. The water is up to his neck, now. 

"What?"

Henry's eyes are wide, but no longer with fear. With a realization. 

"I have magic hair that glows when I sing!"

And then, Henry does the strangest thing. He starts to sing, a song Alex has never heard before, and his hair starts fucking _glowing._ Alex takes a deep breath and ducks underwater, following the light from Henry's hair. There's a small, loose rock on the wall, and Alex pulls it until he and Henry are falling out of the cave and into a river. Alex can feel himself losing his breath, but he makes sure to haul Henry up and onto the shore first before pulling himself up, gasping for air. 

"We're made it," Henry coughs. Alex isn't really focused on that right now. He's staring into space, coughing. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the ever-loving fuck just happened? What is happening today?

"Your hair glows," is all he's able to say. 

"We're alive!"

"Your hair actually glows."

"Alex..."

"Why does your hair glow?!"

"Alex!"

He finally looks up- Henry is already standing, wringing out his hair, smiling. Alex has no idea how he can look so calm and happy after they almost died. He definitely thinks this boy is going to get him killed. Especially when Henry gives him that smile and says

"It doesn't just glow."

Well. Alex doesn't like the sound of that. 

He sets up a small campfire, finds larger logs for he and Henry to sit on. He can only watch in shock and horror as Henry wraps his hair around Alex's injured hand. 

"So," Alex sighs. "you're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my hand."

"Sorry. Just...don't freak out, okay?"

Alex blinks. "Freak out? Who's freaking out, I'm certainly not."

And then Henry starts to sing again, and he's definitely freaking out.

_"Flower gleam and glow_

_let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_bring back what once was mine_

_Heal what has been hurt_

_change the fate's design_

_Bring back what's been lost_

_bring back what once was mine_

_What once was mine"_

When the hair is taken from Alex's hand, the cut is gone. There's not even a scar- it's like he was never cut at all. He holds his hand in front of his hand and just...stares. He knows he promised not to freak out, but that's a very, very hard promise to keep right now. So, Alex's body responds the way it always does when he's trying not to freak out. His eyes roll back in his head, and he passes out.


	7. Alex Claremont-Diaz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So..." he tries. "Alex Claremont-Diaz, huh?"  
> "Ah, yeah, well. I'll spare you the sob story. It's a little bit, ah...it's a little bit of a downer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for talk about kidnapping and murder, and manipulation/emotional abuse

Okay, so. That didn't go exactly as Henry hoped. He supposes passing out is better than screaming, but he's never _seen_ anyone pass out before. What is he supposed to do? Does he just let Diaz- Alex -sleep? He decides, no, that doesn't sound right, and he gently dips one of Alex's hands into the water.

That seems to do the trick. Alex waits with a start, and almost knocks his head against the log. He gapes up at Henry, and it feels very strange, to be looked at like this. It's not exactly uncomfortable, but something burns in Henry's stomach when Alex looks at him like that. He's not sure if he likes it yet.

"I told you not to freak out," Henry teases. Alex doesn't even come back with a snarky remark, just stares at Henry with those beautiful brown eyes.

"Freak out? I didn't freak out, are you freaking out? No, I'm just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities it possesses. How long has it been doing that, exactly?"

Henry tucks a loose strand behind his ear, suddenly bashful. "Uh, forever. I guess." He sighs, counts to ten. "Gran said when I was a baby, people tried to cut it. They wanted to take it for themselves. But once it's cut, it turns brown and loses its power. A gift like that...it has to be protected. That's why gran never let me...that's why I...never..."

"Why you never left the tower," Alex finishes for him. "And you're still gonna go back?"

"It's complicated."

There's a pause. Henry watches as Alex lifts himself up to sit next to him on the log. He's soaked to the bone, curls plastered to his head. Henry wants very badly to reach out and fix them for him. He doesn't know what's wrong with him...gran was right, he is stupid and naive. What is he doing, falling for the first man he sees? Still...it doesn't feel wrong. Talking to Alex feels like second nature, as easy as breathing. He wants to know more about him. He wants to learn every secret, every small, insignificant detail about Alex. 

"So..." he tries. "Alex Claremont-Diaz, huh?"

Alex blushes, a sweet cherry red, and musses up his hair. It shakes a few water droplets on Henry, but he doesn't mind. He doesn't feel cold, not with the fire, not sitting this close to Alex. 

"Ah, yeah, well. I'll spare you the sob story. It's a little bit, ah...it's a little bit of a downer." Henry says nothing, just scoots closer to Alex and rests his head on his shoulder, looking up at him expectantly. Alex chuckles nervously. His hair tickles Henry's cheek. "I...I grew up with nothing, Henry. My mom, my dad, my sister...we had nothing. I fell in with a bad crowd when I was sixteen...minor offenses, petty theft. Every little bit of money I made went to my family. And then, when I was nineteen...you see, my sister, June, she's really smart, a natural genius, and she really really wanted to go to university. But, well, we didn't have the money. So I- I took a job. For this guy, Richards. He's a big deal with-with people like me. He's got a lot of money, resources, power. He was gonna pay me more money than I'd ever seen.

He wanted me to...to kidnap someone. A kid of someone that owed him money. It was supposed to be simple-I was just gonna hide the kid in the woods a little bit, keep an eye on him. He wasn't even frightened, I think he was too young to understand, he thought we were just playing a game. The kid's parents though, they wouldn't give Richards the ransom so he told me to. To kill the kid. And...I just couldn't. I couldn't kill an innocent child. No amount of money in the world is worth that."

He takes a shaky breath. Henry reaches out and holds his hand. 

"So, I took the kid back to his parents. Richards...he wasn't exactly thrilled. You see, he has information on everyone. Spies, records, everything. He threatened my family, said he knew where we lived, where my parents worked. He made it very clear that if I didn't repay the money he lost from the ransom, he'd kill all of them. And. And he'd make me watch, before he killed me, too. I managed to hide them, and I think that really pissed him off, because he put a bounty on my head. If Richards ever finds me, he won't hesitate. Do you understand?"

Henry nods, completely speechless. Alex moves so he can look at Henry fully, and he misses the contact of his cheek on Alex's shoulder immediately. But Alex's eyes are fiery, and Henry swears he can see tears glistening in the light of the fire. 

"Richards is dangerous, okay? Anyone around me is in danger. If I tell you to run, you run. If I tell you to leave me behind and never look back, you leave me behind and you don't look back."

"I--"

"Promise me, Henry," he squeezes Henry's hand. "promise, if the time comes, you'll do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe. I can't...I can't let my mistakes hurt anyone else." Henry nods. Alex avoids his glance, now, wipes his eyes with his sleeve. "I should, uh. I should go get some more firewood."

"Alex--"

But he's gone. Henry doesn't even know how to begin to process this. He knew Alex was a criminal when this all started. And he believes that he didn't hurt that child, he does. But something nags at the back of his head. Is he making the right decision? Is he making a mistake, trusting Alex so much? How can he put so much faith in a person so reckless? Still, something about the way Alex looks at him makes his heart flutter, and he thinks that maybe everything will be okay.

He's pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of a twig snapping. Thinking it's Alex, he turns around, smiling wide. But it's not.

"Well," his grandmother says. "I thought he'd never leave."

Henry can't breathe. It's like he's drowning all over again, water crashing over his head, and this time there's not magic hair to save him. How did she find him? How long has she been watching? How long has she been following them?

"Gran?"

His grandmother smiles at him, that cruel, cold smile reserved for when she's at her most angry. 

"Hello, dear."

"How," Henry stammers. "how did you find me?"

"Oh, it was easy, really," the calmness in her voice is scary, much worse than when she yells. "I just listened to the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that."

"Gran--"

"We're going home, Henry. Now."

"You...you don't understand. I've been on the most incredible journey. I've even met someone."

"Yes, the wanted thief, I'm so proud. Come on, Henry."

"Gran, wait. I think. I think he likes me."

She laughs cruelly. Her eyes have turned dark, and if it's even possible, her smile more vicious. Henry straightens up, plants his feet firmly on the ground. He's not going anywhere.

"Please, Henry, don't be ridiculous. Why would he like you? Look at yourself, you think he's impressed? Don't be stupid, darling. Come with me."

For once in his life, Henry stands his ground. 

"No!"

His grandmother looks odd. He's never told her no before. He doesn't really know how she'll respond. She's not yelling yet, and she's still smiling, and Henry has to swallow the bile in his throat back down. He's not going to let her walk all over him. Not today. Not over Alex. 

She regards him darkly, before reaching into her cloak, and producing the satchel. The one with the crown in it. She tosses it to Henry, and it lands in a thud by the log. He quickly scrambles to pick it up.

"Fine. If you're so sure, put him to the test. Give him the satchel and see how fast he leaves you. I won't say I told you so."

Henry knows what this is. A challenge- a challenge to Henry, to his faith in Alex. If Henry loses, he'll never be able to leave the tower again. He doesn't know if he'll even want to. But he can't show his fear right now. He juts out his chin and watches his grandmother leave. Before Alex comes back, he hides the satchel.


	8. The Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a mosaic on the far wall depicting the royal family. King Arthur, Queen Catherine, Prince Phillip, Princess Beatrice. And in the queen's arms, a baby boy, with bright gold hair and deep blue eyes. Alex notices how Henry's eyes linger, but he doesn't say anything. It's odd, really. The baby has a striking resemblance to Henry. He watches as Henry plucks a flower from his hair and lays it down on the ground, where other gifts have been piled up, paying tribute to the lost prince. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for very mild sexual content towards the end of the chapter

Alex is woken up the next morning by something large and wet. It drags along his face, leaving droplets in its wake. For a moment, he thinks he's back in the cave, water lapping at his shoulders. When it hits him again, he opens his eyes, and finds himself staring down the snout of a palace horse. The one that brought him to Henry, the one whose rider has been pursuing him for years. And he screams. 

The horse takes immediate action, grips Alex's shirt in its jaws and pulls. It's one of the more bizarre experiences of his life, but then again, he's been having a lot of those lately. He thrashes and struggles because really, this is completely unfair, the horse caught him completely off guard. He's being dragged along the grass and he thinks this is it, he's going to get turned in by a dumb horse before he can even get Henry to the lantern festival. 

"Hey!" he hears Henry shout behind him, and his shoulders slump with relief. "Put him down!"

Henry's tone is all authority highlighted by his posh accent. It's regal, really, and as natural as breathing. Alex thinks had Henry's life been different, he'd be a perfect aristocrat. His gaze is fiery but his demeanor is calm, demanding, regal. He feels his shirt slip from out of the horse's mouth and he scrambles backwards on his hands. He watches in awe as Henry approaches the horse and rubs his hand along his snout. 

"Good boy, good boy. You're such a sweetheart, aren't you?"

Alex can't believe his eyes. This horse, a palace horse, that's been raised its entire life to perform dutifully, loyalty to the guard and no one else, is nuzzling into Henry's hand and snorting. 

"You've got to be kidding me," Alex breathes, but he shuts up after a glare from the horse. Henry pays no mind, and talks to the horse like it's a human.

"Look, today is kind of a big day for me. And I need you not to get him arrested. Just for twenty for hours and then he's all yours. Okay? Think of it as my birthday present." 

It looks like the horse agrees. Alex definitely thinks he's going to need a long vacation after this is over. Henry actually _thanks_ it and gets the saddle bag ready. Alex can swear he sees a flash of familiarity going in, but he chooses to ignore it. It's a long walk to the palace, and, being the gentleman he is, he helps Henry on the horse. Of course, he's never ridden one before, so Alex holds the reigns and guides them slowly so all Henry has to do is hang on and enjoy the ride. 

"Alex?" He hears Henry ask deep into their journey. His voice is sweet, and something almost like calm washes over him when he speaks his name so tenderly. 

"Hm?"

"Why do you need the crown so bad?"

Alex freezes. He had almost forgotten about it, to be honest, he'd been having such a wild journey with Henry. But now that it's mentioned, Alex feels like he's been stabbed in the heart. He feels like an idiot, losing sight of his mission like that. What was he thinking?

He clears his throat. "It's worth a lot of money," he answers simply, hoping Henry will leave it at that. He doesn't.

"Enough to pay off Richards?" he presses. Alex tries to hide the shudder that runs through him. 

"Yeah."

Henry doesn't bring it up again, thank the gods. Alex desperately wants to go back to his world of bliss, where Richards and his family and everything wrong in his life was magically gone and replaced with only Henry. He needs to stay focused on the task at hand, now. But seeing the look on Henry's face when they approach the kingdom is something magical. More magical than glowing hair, even. 

Henry hops off the horse without warning and runs ahead, bare feet hopping along the stones of the bridge. The horse nudges Alex rather roughly in the back, which he swears is on purpose. He keeps his eye on Henry, not letting him out of his sight, and discreetly snatches up any wanted posters he passes.

The kingdom is beautiful. Alex forgot about the decorations on Lost Prince Day, the kingdom banners hanging, the busy cobblestone streets worn beneath hundreds of footsteps. Vendors are selling anything a person could want- fresh bread, jewelry, sweets. Children laugh and watch a puppet show, and Alex feels himself genuinely smile for the first time in a long time. Several little girls braid Henry's hair, so thick that it only barely touches the ground now. It's decorated with flowers in all sorts of colors, bright pinks and purples and yellows. He tries his hardest not to blush when Henry pushes a bluebell into Alex's curls. 

He catches himself staring more often than not, watching Henry float through the marketplace. He looks so natural here, nothing like the afraid boy who'd never been out of his tower just yesterday. He swears that horse is giving him a shit-eating grin. He pushes it away, half-jokingly, and follows Henry around, ducking to avoid guards, making sure Henry is safe. Henry's childlike wonder reminds Alex of June when they were children, ever curious and always wanting to learn. There's so many things Henry must have never seen before, he's amazed at how well he's doing, nowhere near overwhelmed. 

He stands in line to buy food for tonight- it's simple, just bread and cheese and a birthday cupcake, not nearly what he'd hope to give Henry on his special day, but it's all Alex can afford. He also buys a small present, a kingdom flag, purple and yellow fabric depicting a sun. He gives the flag to Henry and puts the food in the saddle bag, fingers brushing over that too-familiar shade of brown inside. He looks up, makes sure Henry is looking away, and sees he's drifted off to another cart. He wonders at Henry's cleverness and puts the items inside. He can worry about the satchel later. Right now is Henry's time. 

There's a mosaic on the far wall depicting the royal family. King Arthur, Queen Catherine, Prince Phillip, Princess Beatrice. And in the queen's arms, a baby boy, with bright gold hair and deep blue eyes. Alex notices how Henry's eyes linger, but he doesn't say anything. It's odd, really. The baby has a striking resemblance to Henry. He watches as Henry plucks a flower from his hair and lays it down on the ground, where other gifts have been piled up, paying tribute to the lost prince. 

Music plays from the center of the square, a small band of pipes and strings. Before he knows it, Henry is dancing, all bare feet and tall limbs, pulling others in with him. Alex is content to watch, leaning against the horse. Henry looks beautiful like this, smiling so wide and cheeks flushed pink from the exercise. He's perfectly in his element, completely unbothered by anything around him. Others start to join, a merry dance in a circle, switching partners to and fro, hooking elbows and holding hands. Henry looks at him expectantly, but Alex's feet stay firmly planted not he ground, daring not to disturb the scene in front of him. 

Of course, the horse is out to get him, and with a bump of his hip he's shoved into the circle. He swears he can hear the thing laughing. The music is picking up, and Henry is dancing with the grace of a trained dancer. Alex is all awkward limbs, and he swears he steps on a few people's toes, but he can't be bothered to be embarrassed. If Henry's smile is the sun, Alex is Icarus, and he has flown far, far, too close. 

They dance and frolic and wander until sunset, Alex happy to indulge Henry's every wish. They narrowly avoid each other each time they switch partners, and only are shoved together when the music stops, and someone announces "to the boats!". Henry is flushed and his eyes are bright, and Alex has to quickly move away before he does something stupid. They leave the horse with a sack of apples at the dock and Alex helps Henry into the boat with a gentlemanly hand. The saddle bag is underneath Henry's seat, so the food will be readily accessible when Henry wants it. Alex does not think about the satchel inside it. He starts rowing them out, heading for the center of the lake. Henry looks back at him, smiles. 

"Where are we going?" He asks. 

Alex shrugs humbly, though his heart is burning, "Well, if this is going to be the best day of your life, you should at least get a decent seat."

It's dark by the time he gets them to the center, but it's so worth it. The castle is right ahead and the view is perfect. There are no other boats around- everyone is farther away, or on the other side of the castle, but this right here is the best spot. He puts down the oar and gets the chance to look over at Henry, and his brows knit together in worry. He's not smiling like he was before, elated expression now replaced with nervousness. He watches him chew his lower lip. 

"Hey," he puts a hand on Henry's shoulder and tries to ignore the warmth radiating against his skin. "you okay?"

Henry laughs bitterly. "I'm terrified."

"Why?"

He watches Henry sigh, take a characteristic deep breath. He waits and counts, like he always does. It's endearing to Alex. 

"I've been looking out a window for twenty one years," he finally says, and the crackle in his voice breaks Alex's heart. "dreaming about what it would feel like when those lights rise in the sky." he turns his face to Alex, gives him a desperate, pleading look. "What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?"

"It will be." 

"And what if it is? What do I do then?"

Alex cracks a reassuring smile and takes his hand from Henry's shoulder. "That's the good part, I guess. You get to find a new dream."

It's meant to be teasing, light-hearted, but there's a tension in the air that twists Alex's words around. He's grateful when he sees the first lantern rise, thanking the royal family for intervening at the right moment. Henry leans almost all the way over the boat, and Alex has to grab a hold of his waist to keep him from falling over. Henry seems completely unfazed, eyes wide and watching the sky in awe as hundreds of thousands of lanterns rise into the night sky. And Alex can't even watch them, because his eyes are trained on Henry. 

It's almost painful to do, but Alex clears his throat, directs Henry's attention away and towards him once more. The look on his companion's face almost blinds him, and Alex holds out two lanterns with a sheepish look. Henry hesitates for the first time today, just for a moment, before replacing it with a nervous grin. 

"I have something for you too," he says, and Alex really wants to tell him no. No, don't ruin this moment by showing me the satchel. Let me pretend for just a moment longer. But he doesn't, and Henry pulls out the satchel from the saddle bag. "I should have given it to you before, but. I was just scared. And the thing is I-I'm not scared anymore. You know what I mean?"

Alex hopes the look on his face is reassuring, and he shakes his head, takes the saddle bag and puts it back beneath Henry's seat. "I'm starting to."

Without another word, he gives Henry his lantern, and they release them into the air. They both watch as they float up, circle each other by themselves before joining the rest. Alex doesn't talk for the rest of it- just watches Henry. Suddenly, he feels very stupid. He spent all those years chasing after a daydream, a romantic notion of a better life. All those years scraping and stealing and lying. He's lived his life in a blur, hiding from Richards, hiding from the palace guards. Until now, he's never stopped, even for a moment, just to truly _see_. To see the life around him for what it is, not as it could be.

And now...and now Henry is here, this beautiful, crazy, wonderful person with a dog named David and magic glowing hair. He's shining in the light of the lanterns, beneath a sky full of stars, and Alex feels that familiar tug in his gut he's been ignoring all this time. He thinks now is the time to let it lead him where he needs to go. Something in his mind shifts, and he knows that he's already there. It's wonderful- warm and real and _bright._ As if he's seeing the world for the first time all over again. 

Henry is looking at him with those wide blue eyes, reflecting the light of the lanterns, and those perfect pink lips are quirked up in a smile. Alex can't take it anymore, but he does not approach how he normally wood. He's a rash man- if Henry were any other person, Alex would grab him by the front of his shirt and pull him in, rough and fast. But not Henry. He deserves better than that. 

Instead, Alex raises a hand to Henry's cheek, brushes the pad of his thumb across smooth pale skin. Henry is leaning in and so is Alex, and he feels long, thin fingers twisting into his hair as their lips finally meet. It's the best kiss Alex has ever had- Henry tastes like honey and lavender and his mouth is soft and pliant. Henry's fingers are digging into his curls just right, pulling ever so gently. Alex resists the urge to deepen it, makes sure it's sweet and slow, since he figures he's Henry first. He wants every aspect of this to be perfect, because Henry is perfect, and deserves the perfect first kiss. 

He doesn't know how, but he finds himself back at the inn with Henry afterwards. The horse is in the stables and the saddle bag has been thrown agains the wall, disregarded for tonight. He's kissing Henry gently, running his hands delicately up and down his sides, feeling the heat of his skin beneath his thin shirt. They make it to the bed in a tangle of discarded clothing and curious touches. Henry is kissing every scar he can find on Alex's body with the reverence of a sinner seeking penance. They're whispering each other's names like prayers, and Alex is murmuring words in Henry's ear, _baby_ and _sweetheart_ and _beautiful_. They spend the night exploring each other, kissing and touching and whispering. Alex feels like a teenager again, with no worries, no thoughts in his mind except _Henry, Henry, Henry._

In the morning, Alex will do the right thing- he'll give the satchel and the crown to Richards and call his debt paid. He'll find his family, send June to university. He'll get a proper job- blacksmithing maybe, or tutoring -make an honest living. He'll find a home for him and Henry, promise to provide for him for as long as he breathes. He can't make him his husband, but he'll buy him a ring anyway, when he has the money. He wants to spend the rest of his life with Henry, never to be parted from him or his sweet smiles again. 

For tonight, though, he'll let Henry hold him in his arms, and fall asleep to the sound of Henry's heartbeat against his ear. 

***

"The plan is simple. You will send Diaz a note- say you know he has the crown and to meet you at the usual place. The boy will follow him. You kill Diaz, take the crown, and take the boy."

Richards sneers over his pint, eyebrow raised. "How do I know the boy will follow?"

"Trust me," Mary smiles cruelly. "he will."


	9. The Lost Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's as if he's gone back in time. He sees a vision, a clear image, from a long time ago. A mobile above his cot, a bright yellow sun in the center. Four smiling faces- two old, two young, two girls, two boys. They're looking down at him with pride, tears are in some of their eyes. The older two wear ornate crowns. Something in the back of Henry's mind whispers mother, father. He focuses in on the young girl's face, mischievous eyes wet with tears. Bea. And the other boy, blonde hair like Henry's- Phillip. This is not a vision. It's a memory. A memory of his family.

Alex is gone when Henry wakes up. The indented spot of mattress where Alex lay last night has gone cold, the pleasant weight of his head against Henry's chest now gone. The sound of his soft breathing no longer fills the room- it is eerily silent, sunlight streaming in through curtains, discarded clothing from last night strewn about the room. The satchel is gone. Swallowing down a bubble of panic, Henry rolls over to see the note on the nightstand and lets his eyes roam over the chicken scratch handwriting. 

_Henry,_

_Gone to meet Richards and hand over the crown. Will pick up breakfast on the way back._

_Yours,_

_Alex_

Henry feels a little calmer, knowing Alex left with good intentions. Still, that warning tug in his gut is there, persistent and warning. Alex had said Richards is dangerous, right? That he's not to be trusted? What if the crown isn't enough? _What if, what if, what if._ Henry doesn't want to leave it up to chance. He gets dressed quickly, slips the note in his pocket. Alex's words from earlier hit him as soon as he's out of the door, and he feels a stab of guilt in his chest. _Promise me, if the time comes, you'll do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe._ It rings in his ears, bubbles up in his throat. But Henry, stubborn as ever, pushes on. He goes to the stables, holds the note up to the loyal horse's snout. He gives him a moment to sniff before catching the knowing look in the animal's eyes. It seems to nod. _I know where he is._

Henry does not give himself more time to think before he's on the horse's back. The ride is rough, and he hangs far tighter than is probably necessary, but Alex is not there to steady the reigns for him. The air is still misty with early dawn light, and far too cold for Henry's clothes and bare feet. But the heat of adrenaline prickles at him as the horse slows to a stop. He slides off its back quickly and gives it a thankful pat. 

They're not the shore of the lake, not far from where they were last night. It's lined with thick brush, perfect for hiding in. But he doesn't think Richards is here. He must not be, if the horse's tracking is right, because he can only make out one figure, one silhouette. It approaches Henry, and he sighs and steps out. 

"There you are," he says, voice dripping with relief. "I was starting to think you might have taken the crown and left me." The figure emerges from the mist, and it is not Alex. Henry's heart sinks. 

"He did."

The man in front of him is smiling cruelly, holding a large sack in his hands. Henry does not want to think about what it's for. He steps back, shakes his head. Alex wouldn't. Not the Alex he knows. Not the Alex he was with last night- kind and compassionate and caring. Full of love for his family, wanting to do what's right. That Alex would never abandon Henry, not ever. 

"You're lying," he says with all his strength, but his voice is thick. Richards' smile widens, and it is worse, somehow, like that, and he gestures to the lake. A ship is heading to the dock- a ship manned by Alex, holding the satchel in hand. Henry covers his mouth with his hands, tries to choke down his tears.

"It was a fair trade," Richards taunts. A crown for the boy with the magic hair. How much do you think people will pay, to stay young and healthy forever?"

Henry shakes his head and backs up. This is not happening. Alex didn't abandon him, didn't trade him in for a crown. He wouldn't betray his family- wouldn't betray _Henry_ -like that. But Richards is gaining on him, and Henry can't back away any further, and Gran was right, they're going to sell him, the outside world is cruel and men are dangerous--

Richards falls to the ground. Behind him, Henry's grandmother holds the log she just hit him with. 

"Gran?"

"Oh, my precious boy. Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Henry doesn't understand. "How did you...?"

"I was so worried about you, dear. So I followed you, and I saw him attack you. Come now, let's go before he wakes up."

Something in Henry breaks. The floodgates come down and he is on his knees, sobbing, digging his nails into the dirt beneath him. Alex is gone. He's gone, and he's not coming back. He sold Henry to Richards. Everything he said, everything he _did_. It was all a lie. Alex is nothing but a thief, a criminal. He's a liar. 

"You were right," he chokes out. "You were right, gran, about everything."

He feels his grandmother's arms around him. He can't see her through his tears, but her familiar smell is there, and she kisses his hair, like always. 

"I know, darling," she coos. "I know."

Before he knows it, Henry is back home, on his familiar bed, in the room he's spent his entire life in. His grandmother is removing the flowers from his hair, one by one, placing them in a basket. Henry doesn't think he's spoken since the lake. He doesn't know how long the journey took them. He doesn't care. His world is shattered. Everything he ever hoped for, it was all a lie. He'll never go outside again. 

"There," his grandmother says, plucking the final flower. "it never happened." Henry doesn't respond, just stares at the wall. He hears his grandmother sigh, feels the weight of the bed shift as she stands. "I tried to warn you, Henry, I really did. The world is dark, and selfish, and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine, it. Destroys. It."

She leaves him alone. Henry lies on his back and stares at his ceiling. How could he be so stupid? So naive? He fell for the first person he ever saw, and he got his heart broken. That's what happens when you don't listen to gran. He shoves his hand in his pocket to find the note- maybe he'll feel better if he burns it. His fingers brush against soft fabric, and he pulls the small flag from his pocket. It's an odd symbol- a yellow sun against a purple square. He holds it up the ceiling, to the light, squints at it. It's familiar, like the mosaic in the town square. It's a feeling in his stomach, in his chest, warm and comforting. He concentrates hard, focuses all his energy on the symbol. Where had he seen it before?

It's as if he's gone back in time. He sees a vision, a clear image, from a long time ago. A mobile above his cot, a bright yellow sun in the center. Four smiling faces- two old, two young, two girls, two boys. They're looking down at him with pride, tears are in some of their eyes. The older two wear ornate crowns. Something in the back of Henry's mind whispers _mother, father._ He focuses in on the young girl's face, mischievous eyes wet with tears. Bea. And the other boy, blonde hair like Henry's- Phillip. This is not a vision. It's a memory. A memory of his family.

He comes out of it, gasping for air. It all makes sense, now. The baby in the mosaic, the one that looked so familiar, it was _him_. The lanterns released every year on his birthday- the lost prince's birthday. The reason he can never go outside. The reason the crown stirred something familiar inside of him. He scrambles around his room, keeps himself from fainting, leaves and slams the door behind him. His grandmother- if he can even call her that -is on the stairs. She turns and gives him a shocked expression. Henry can barely look at her.

"I'm the lost prince," he whispers, mostly to himself.

Mary rolls her eyes and huffs. "Please speak up, Henry, you know how I hate the mumbling."

For the second time that day, something inside Henry snaps. He raises himself taller, juts his chin out. The muscles in his jaw clench and he pulls himself up high as he stares down Mary. 

"I'm the lost prince," he says, louder. "aren't I?" Then, with more courage. "Did I mumble, grandmother? Or should I even call you that?"

Something flashes across Mary's face, briefly. Fear. Shock. Then, back to the pleasant, condescending smile. It fills Henry with white hot rage.

"Do you even hear yourself, Henry? Why would you ask yourself such a ridiculous question?" But Henry isn't falling for it this time. He's too angry, too right. 

"It was you! It was all you!"

"Everything I did was to protect you." She reaches out to touch Henry, and he shoves her off, storms down the stairs. "Henry!"

He rifles around, collects his things into a bag. "I spent my entire life hiding from people who would use me for my power."

"Henry--"

"When I should have been hiding from you!"

"Where will you go? He won't be there for you."

That stops Henry. His hands still, and he meets Mary's gaze. She has a triumphant look in her eye. Henry's blood chills. 

"What did you do to him?" His mouth is dry. 

"That criminal is to be hanged for his crimes."

He feels his heart stop. No. No, no, no. Not Alex. Not sweet, beautiful Alex. Alex who did nothing wrong- Alex, who Henry should have trusted. Alex who he should have believed. 

"No."

"Now, now," Mary tries to comfort. "it's alright. All is as it should be." She goes to hug Henry, and he shoves her, knocking her back into the wall. 

"No! You were wrong about the world. And you were wrong about me. And I will never let you use my hair again!"

Mary's face twists, and her smile turns cruel. 

"You want me to be the bad guy, do you Henry? Well, fine. Now I'm the bad guy."


	10. Honour Amongst Thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex has been pounding on the bars of his cell for a little over an hour, now. His hands are chained together in front of him, useless. The bars won't budge. When he came to on the boat, with the satchel in his hand and Henry gone, he knew he was in trouble. He tried to tell the guards, but they didn't listen to him. They didn't are that Henry was in danger. They had finally caught Diaz. $10,000 reward Diaz. They didn't waste any time- the gallows have been set up, the executioner has been paid. The priest came by the cell already, but he didn't want to listen to Alex, either. A lock turns, and Alex finds himself face-to-face with the captain of the guard. He'd think he would look happy, triumphant even. But he just looks disappointed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW mention of hanging, gallows

Alex has been pounding on the bars of his cell for a little over an hour, now. His hands are chained together in front of him, useless. The bars won't budge. When he came to on the boat, with the satchel in his hand and Henry gone, he knew he was in trouble. He tried to tell the guards, but they didn't listen to him. They didn't are that Henry was in danger. They had finally caught Diaz. $10,000 reward Diaz. They didn't waste any time- the gallows have been set up, the executioner has been paid. The priest came by the cell already, but he didn't want to listen to Alex, either. A lock turns, and Alex finds himself face-to-face with the captain of the guard. He'd think he would look happy, triumphant even. But he just looks disappointed. 

"Let's get this over with, Diaz," is all he says, in a neutral tone of voice. 

"Where are we going?" Alex asks, stupidly. Then he remembers the gallows and touches a shaking hand to his throat. "Oh..."

He lets the guards take him, a hand on each arm, down the hallway. He looks to the side of the cells, not ahead of him. Death is ahead. He stops when he sees him- Richards -in a cell. And he remembers- Richards saying Alex has been holding out on him, knocking him out, tying him to the ship. Henry. He shoves both guards, buys himself a minute's time, and grabs the bars of Richards' cell.

"How did you know about him?! Tell me, now!"

For the first time in his life, Richards looks afraid. "It wasn't me. It was the old lady."

"Old lady..." Oh shit. Oh shit, oh shit, Henry's grandmother, of course. No, no, no. Arms grab him again, try and force him down the hallway. He's struggling, not for self-preservation. He doesn't care that he's about to die, not when Henry's in danger. "Wait, no! You don't understand, he's in trouble! Wait!"

But they keep pushing him down the hallway, captain of the guard at the front, three strong sets of hands on his shoulders and arms. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a small, ceramic unicorn, perched on an alcove. He blinks. As they reach the door, his death, it slams shut in the captain's face. In fact, all the doors slam shut. The guards are flustered, drawing their swords, and the captain pounds on the door, demands it to open. A small window in the door opens, and Alex smiles at the face behind it.

"What's the password?" Nora asks. The captain looks taken aback.

"What?"

Nora grins. "Nope!" And she closes the window. 

The captain continues to argue with Nora. It would be rather amusing, if Alex and Henry's lives weren't at stake. While the captain is distracted, Alex sees the other guards disappear, shoved into supply closets and thrown behind bars. By the time the captain of the guard turns around, Alex is alone. He waves with his cuffed hands, flashes the charming Diaz smile. Then Zarha comes through the door and hits him over the head with a frying pan. 

"Zarha!" is all Alex can say, because really, what the fuck is happening? She glares at him, but Alex can see the love behind her eyes, even if it's deep down.

"Tell anyone I did this for you, and I'll kill you."

Alex is saved from making a sarcastic remark by the door behind him breaking down. More guards come flooding in, swords drawn, armor protecting their bodies. He and Zarha run down the end of the hall. They pass familiar faces on the way- Amy, Cash, Shaan, Pez. They're all here, protecting Alex. Breaking Alex out of prison. There must be honour amongst thieves after all. He needs to send whoever organized this a fruit basket. 

Luna meets him out in the courtyard. Hundreds of guards are coming in now, ready to take him straight to the gallows. Luna unceremoniously picks Alex up, sets him on the horse- that wonderful, amazing palace horse -and slaps its behind. This all seems a little eerily familiar to Alex, but he doesn't dwell on it. He digs his heels in, grips the reigns, and rides like the wind towards the forest. 


	11. New Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry sniffs, looks at the face in his hand. The tanned, scarred face, beautiful and lovely beneath him. He loves this face, loves the man it belongs to, and it breaks his heart to know they'll never see each other again. He'll never feel Alex's hands on him again, hot and gentle against his skin. Never feel his lips, his touch. But Alex will live, and that's all that matters. He'll live a hundred winters, never feel another touch, another drop of happiness again, if it means Alex can live. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for blood and death

Alex rides hard and fast through the forest, climbs the wall with all the speed he has. His hands are cracked and bleeding from the stones but he doesn't even care. His feet slip, and he calls "Henry! Henry!" The tower looks dark and unoccupied, and he fears the worst. But then, Henry's voice, sweet as ever, calling his name. He wills himself up, up, up, clamors through the window. He's barely looking ahead of him, a smile already plastered on his face. 

"Henry--"

Pain shoots through his ribs. Alex falls, clutches at where it hurts, and sees blood staining his hand. His eyes well with tears and his throat feels thick with bile. Then, he finally sees. Henry, ahead of him, chained. Mary looms above, bloody dagger in hand, smiling cruelly. Henry looks scared, but unharmed, and it brings relief to Alex's pained face. A mirror has broken somewhere, leaving shards scattered across the floor. Henry screams for him and struggles against his chains. 

"Now, look what you've done, Henry," she mocks. She places her boot on Alex's shoulder and kicks him over. He falls to the ground, weak, clutching his side in the fetal position. "Oh, don't worry dear. Our secret will die with him. And as for us? We are going where no one will ever, ever find you." Mary pulls at Henry's chains but he struggles, thrashing against her, pulling her along. "Now really, Henry, enough! Stop fighting me!"

"No!" Henry screams. His voice is raw, and it hurts Alex's heart. "I will never stop fighting you, not ever! But...but if you let me save him. I'll go with you. I'll go with you, and I won't fight. I promise."

It's Alex's turn to protest now. He groans and drags himself forward, towards Henry's beautiful, beautiful face. "No," he croaks. "No, Henry."

But Henry doesn't listen. "I'll never run, I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him, and you and I will be together, forever, just like you want. Please."

To Henry's surprise, Mary relents. She unchains him and he scrambles over to Alex, helps prop him against the wall and leans over him. His shirt is entirely soaked through with blood and his eyes are beginning to glaze over. 

"Alex," he holds his face in his hands, tries to get him to look at him. "Alex, I'm so sorry. It's going to be okay, now, alright?"

Alex holds Henry's wrist with a weak hand. The ghost of a smile is playing on his lips, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "No. No, Henry."

"I promise, you have to trust me--"

"No," he coughs, sputters blood onto his lift. Henry cleans him quickly with his sleeve. "I can't...I can't let you do this."

Henry sniffs, looks at the face in his hand. The tanned, scarred face, beautiful and lovely beneath him. He loves this face, loves the man it belongs to, and it breaks his heart to know they'll never see each other again. He'll never feel Alex's hands on him again, hot and gentle against his skin. Never feel his lips, his touch. But Alex will live, and that's all that matters. He'll live a hundred winters, never feel another touch, another drop of happiness again, if it means Alex can live. 

"But I can't let you die," he whispers. His voice is choked with impending tears, but he sucks it up. He needs to be the strong one, now. For Alex.

"But if you do this..." his breaths are coming out in gasps now, his eyes are fluttering shut, and Henry shushes him, presses cooling kisses to his forehead. "then you...will die."

"Hey, hey. It's going to be okay. Just stay with me, Alex."

Alex musters the last of his strength and pulls Henry in for a last, chaste kiss. It's wet with tears, and Alex's lips are slack, but it's the sweetest kiss he's ever had. For Henry, it's a goodbye to his love. For Alex, it's a distraction. He's realized he faces death either way- either by the noose or by the knife. If he must go, he'll die in Henry's arms and set him free. With Henry distracted, he uses the last of his strength to pick a shard of glass from the floor, closes his eyes, and cuts. 

Henry barely has time to react. He gasps and watches as his hair loses its lustrous shine, feels his powers drain. Mary is screaming as she ages rapidly before them, pulls her cloak over her eyes. She stumbles blindly, and Henry watches in horror as David bites down on her dress and trips her. She flies out the window, leaving only an empty cloak behind. He only takes a moment to watch before Alex's cough brings him back to reality. Blood is everywhere now- on his mouth, his hands, his shirt. His gaze is weak but it's so full of love, and Henry throws himself down, clutches at his love. 

"No, no, no, no, Alex. Alex, look at me, look at me, I'm right here." He runs his hands through Alex's hair, over his arms, along his face. His familiar warmth is fading, soft lips cracked. "Don't go, stay with me, Alex." He tries desperately, sings with all his might, but it's no use. His power is gone- Alex sacrificed it for Henry. 

"Henry..." he croaks below him. Henry takes his hand, kisses scarred knuckles. 

"I'm here, Alex. Don't you dare leave me."

Alex chuckles, a heartbreaking sound. "Henry...l-listen to," he takes a rasping breath. "to me." Henry sniffs, but complies, holds Alex as tightly as he can. "You...you were my new dream."

The dam inside Henry breaks. He looks down at this stupid, stupid boy, and curses him for taking his heart like this. It was selfish and cruel, but he can't bring himself to be angry. He places a soft kiss to his lips. 

"And you were mine."

The light in Alex's eyes goes out, and they shut. His limbs hang limp, useless besides him. His chest stills. David whines and nudges at him, tries to lick him awake, bu the is gone. Henry begs, screams. He wants to hit him. He wants to take him by the shoulders and shake him awake. That stupid fucking smirk still hangs on his lips, and Henry wants to slap it off. He screams himself into exhaustion, until the only thing he can do is drape himself over Alex's body and cry.

A single tear slips onto Alex's cheek. From it, gold light bursts forth, filling the tower. Henry jumps back and watches as the light moves to the wound between Alex's ribs. It shines outward, and Henry watches as it knits itself together. The warmth comes back into Alex's cheeks, and his chest starts to move again, shallow breaths. Henry is crying harder than ever now, and he crawls to Alex and grabs his hand tight. The skin is familiar and hot. Alex's eyes flutter open. 

"Henry...?"

"Alex," he breathes. His love gives him that stupid smile. 

"You know, I have a thing for guys with short hair."

Henry laughs and throws himself at him. They hold each other in their arms, paying no mind to the blood, and kiss, and kiss, and kiss. Kiss until they're breathless, until Alex feels like he might die all over again. Henry hits him when he says as much, but he soothes it with a kiss. Alex promises to never die again, and Henry will hold him to it.


	12. Epilogue: Happily Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry adjusts his coat nervously in the mirror. It's a new item, something he's never needed before, in the confines of his tower. It feels strange on him, too restricting. The worst thing, he thinks, is the shoes. They feel odd against his feet- he's used to feeling the smooth floor beneath them, the tickle of grass. Now all he feels is the wooly material of his socks. Alex had assured him he looks fine, and says so again as he brushes dust off his shoulders. He watches his arms wrap around his waist the same time he feels them. Alex presses a kiss to the back of his neck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks!

Henry adjusts his coat nervously in the mirror. It's a new item, something he's never needed before, in the confines of his tower. It feels strange on him, too restricting. The worst thing, he thinks, is the shoes. They feel odd against his feet- he's used to feeling the smooth floor beneath them, the tickle of grass. Now all he feels is the wooly material of his socks. Alex had assured him he looks fine, and says so again as he brushes dust off his shoulders. He watches his arms wrap around his waist the same time he feels them. Alex presses a kiss to the back of his neck. 

"Don't be so nervous," he coos. "you look beautiful."

Henry takes a shuddering breath. He no longer counts to ten. "What if they don't like me?"

Alex gives his waist a little squeeze.

"They're going to love you." Alex spins him around, adjusts his tie for him. Henry cannot believe the scene before him. He's in his home, looking down at the love of his life, a ring on his left hand as he tightens the tie around his neck. It's not until Alex looks up at him that Henry realizes he's staring with watery eyes. "Don't get all weepy on me, Henry. You're supposed to be my rock, remember?"

Alex reaches up on his tip-toes- Henry _loves_ that he has to do that -and kisses his nose. Henry smiles a wide, genuine smile, grabs Alex arounds the waist and spins him around. Alex laughs and slaps at his shoulder. "Hey! Put me down, crazy!" Henry does not relent, instead takes the opportunity to pepper kisses to every inch of exposed skin. Alex's curls will be messed up, and he'll chastise him, but Henry can't be bothered to care. 

They do not take the offered palace escort. Henry prefers to travel with Alex only, to commit the expansive lands to memory. Plus, he likes having easy access to Alex's _fantastic_ ass. They take the palace horse- they've since learned his name is Maximus- Alex in front and Henry behind. He keeps a firm hold around his waist, rests his chin atop his shoulder. Alex is tense, he can feel it. It's not everyday you go from wanted criminal to suitor of the prince, walking into the very palace you stole from. Henry marvels at Alex's bravery.

Henry walks ahead, when they arrive at the palace. He's set to meet the royal family in the throne room, and Alex makes sure that Henry will be the first they see. Henry stays standing when they enter, while Alex kneels a ways behind, head bent. Henry feels the breath leave his lungs when he looks upon his family- his sister, with her bright eyes. His father, handsome if a little gray, his mother holding his hand. His brother, jaw set, but with a hint of something behind his eyes. They stand still, staring, no one daring move should they break the bubble. 

Bea is the first. She runs forward, flings herself into Henry's arms. The rest of the family is quick to follow, enveloping him in a large hug. It's warmer than any hug he'd ever received from gran, and they're a mess of tangled limbs and tears. He doesn't know how long they stay there- maybe a second, maybe a lifetime. But Bea is the first to leave as well, pulls away and focuses tearful eyes on Alex, still kneeling. The rest of them slowly detach and follow her gaze. Henry sniffs and wipes his eyes on his sleeve. 

"Mum," the words feels strange on his tongue. "dad. This is Alex Claremont-Diaz."

The king clears his throat, watches the boy on the floor. His voice is commanding and strong, just as Henry imagined it. 

"Rise, Alex."

Slowly, Alex stands, raises his head. His shoulders are tensed up, face neutral. Henry knows he's trying his hardest to be respectful, to not mouth off. He doesn't think he's ever been prouder. He clasps his hands behind his back, chin out, maintaining fierce eye contact with Arthur. 

"Is it true that you rescued my son?"

"Yes, your highness." His tone is clipped, formal. Henry worries his bottom lip between his teeth.

"And you disregarded your personal safety in order to do so? Risked death, even?"

"Yes, your highness."

"And is it true that you love my son?"

Alex falters. He swallows down a blush. "Yes, your highness. With all my heart."

The king slowly approaches him, and Alex flinches as he sets a paternal hand on his shoulder. 

"Well then, Alex. As reward for your sacrifice made in the protection of a crown prince, and your assistance with the apprehension of wanted criminal Jeffrey Richards," he hears Alex suck in a breath. "You are hereby pardoned of all crimes. Furthermore, you will from this day forth be known as Sir Alexander Claremont-Diaz, first of his name, royal suitor to His Royal Highness Prince Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor. There is a position for you on the castle guard, should you choose to take it."

Alex looks up at the king in awe, eyes wide, mouth open. "Sir, I. I don't know what to say."

"Furthermore, Alex, your family shall be moved to the palace, as is customary for the family of royal suitors, and your sister will attend classes at the royal academy. I hear she is quite the scholar."

Alex is speechless. So, he does the only thing he knows to do, royal procedure be damned. He wraps his arms around the king's neck and pulls him into a tight hug. The king, thankfully, only laughs and pats his back, and is quickly replaced by Henry, pulling Alex into a searing kiss. 

***

"Well, you can imagine what happened next. The kingdom rejoiced. The lost prince had returned. The party lasted an entire week, and honestly I don't even remember most of it. Dreams came true all over the place. Rafael Luna went on to become the most famous piano player in the entire world. Shaan and Zarha found true love with each other- Cash baked the cupcakes at their wedding, and Amy did the flowers. June graduated at the top of her class and became a professor at the royal academy. Thanks to Maximus the horse, crime in the kingdom disappeared almost overnight, along with most of the apples. David, well. He never changed. At last Henry was home, and he finally had a real family. He was a prince worth waiting for. But above all, he led his kingdom with his siblings and all the grace and wisdom of their parents. As for me, well, I started going by Alex again. Stopped thieving, basically turned it all around. But I know what the big question is: did Henry and I ever get married? Well, after a few changes to the laws, and years and years of asking, and asking, and asking...I finally said yes."

"Alex."

"Okay, fine, fine, I asked him."

"And we're living happily ever after."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! Your comments and kudos are so so appreciated, I hope you enjoyed!


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